Self-identification is one of those never-ending challenges that occupy humans. Even highly self-aware people seem to spend a lot of time defending and refining their self-definition. Last week, someone proposed that people who care about climate change be known as "climate hawks." There are the endless...

Not quite two years ago, as our local meat CSA was in the works, I gathered with a few people to discuss “The Omnivore's Dilemma,” the Ethicurean, CSAs, and local food in general. One person turned to me and asked how they could make time for the shopping and cooking required to get away from the fast-food,...

I've long had mixed feelings about Rachael Ray, the TV "chef" lately known as "the face of terrorism." I used to enjoy her travel shows, although I disagreed with her lack of tipping and some of her food choices in Seattle. I dislike her emphasis on prepared foods, but I respect her attempts to make cooking...

The Butter Bitch and I have been on hiatus for the past few months, due to our day jobs and ongoing projects. The Seattle Times' Pacific Northwest Sunday Magazine devotes most of this week's issue to an overview of Washington's locavorean movement and the promotion of sustainability in the wine. The Bounty...

A while ago, I mentioned Food and Wine's feature on eating locally, and noted that I had sent a few recipes of my own for their consideration. I've not heard back from them, and with winter drawing to a close, I decided to share one or two that can be enjoyed through much of the year. Local chickens have a...

While Nosher of the North hunkers down under a blizzard that has been called brutal and pummeling, and while our California and Texas friends bask in warm weather, the Butter Bitch and I are waiting for spring. The weather in Seattle has been bad this year, but far better than winters from our youths in the...

Seattle is cold, clear, and dry today, the kind of weather that makes my thoughts turn to bicycling. Instead of venturing out, I cook a heavy brunch that will give me a lot of energy for a walk planned this evening, downhill to the post office and back. We have a pack of four sweet Italian sausages from...

Cascadia Girl over at has a nice write-up of weekending in Methow Valley, including where to stay and what to do. Why the interest here? Methow is where the Butter Bitch and I source much of our beef, through a meat CSA, and lamb through direct purchase. We knew that the Crown S ranchers had a reason not...

Two weeks ago, during a rosemary-filled day of cooking, I picked and chopped more rosemary than was needed. The rosemary came from the smaller bush outside our back door. I like fresh herbs over dried herbs, and I didn't want to dry the already chopped leaves or throw them away. Fortunately, we have a...

Last week I asked readers how they eat locally in winter. A few MidWesterners responded, and I decided to call Mom of La Muncha, who lives in Northern New Mexico, to see what local options are like in in the high country. Also, check out our guest post from Montreal. Meanwhile, here in Seattle the snows are...

Over the past two Thanksgiving holidays, the Butter Bitch and I have found ourselves in the Oregon wine country, sampling a number of excellent wines and enjoying the scenery. Our tour of wineries has exposed us to a number of top-flight wines and a few clunkers, reinforced our opinions of much-loved...

The fine folks at Fork & Bottle are hosting this months' Wine Blogging Wednesday, in which people drink wine and blog about it. We can get behind that. This month's focus is on biodynamic wines. I'm still uncertain what to think about biodynamics, even after the Butter Bitch read and wrote about...